


Everdeen Scrooge

by Norberts_Mom



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games (Movies)
Genre: Christmas, F/M, In Panem AU, Inspired by A Christmas Carol, everlark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2021-01-05
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:35:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28463208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Norberts_Mom/pseuds/Norberts_Mom
Summary: Several years after the war that ended President Snow’s tyranny over Panem, Twenty two year old Katniss Everdeen doesn’t want anything to do with the new Christmas holiday instituted by the New Panem Government. Can a ghostly visit make her change her mind?
Relationships: Katniss Everdeen & Gale Hawthorne, Katniss Everdeen/Peeta Mellark
Comments: 18
Kudos: 33
Collections: Seasons of Everlark— Winter 2020-2021





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Seasons of Everlark, Winter 2020, based on the prompt Hunger Games Christmas Carol.  
> Thank you to my dear friend mega-aulover for all of her help.

Katniss expels a puffy cloud of air then releases her bow string. There’s silence for a moment as the arrow flies.

“You got it,” Gale exclaims as he stands up from their blind. 

In the distance, gobbling can be heard as several turkey hens flee, a large gobbler lay still in the snow with an arrow sticking out of its side.

The snow crunches under their boots as they approach. Katniss pulls out her arrow as Gale picks up the bird by its feet. “This is going to make a great Christmas dinner, Catnip.” 

“Nope,” Katniss says, shaking her head. “That bird is going to make several meals for the next few weeks.”

“But,” Gale tries, as he loops the turkey strap around its feet and neck.

“Don’t worry, I’ll give you your share. You did help me track it, and now you can carry it.”

“What about Christmas dinner tomorrow?” Gale asks as he lifts the strap over his shoulder.

“I’m not wasting all that meat on one meal,” Katniss says as they start walking back to town. “I need to make sure we have food for the rest of the winter. Who knows when I’ll get a chance to hunt again.” 

“Are you coming to our party tonight? You mom and sister are planning to be there. I heard them planning it with my mom.”

“Nope. I’ve got to get a decent night sleep so I can come back out hunting in the morning.”

“Come on, Catnip. The new government has given us tons of opportunities, better pay, more affordable food, better houses even. You don’t need to hunt every day. You really need to spend some time with your friends and family.”

While it’s true that the new Panem government has provided better lives for all of Panem. After the war was over and President Snow was executed, a new government was created with representatives from each of the districts. Katniss still has a problem trusting that things won’t go back to the way they were before the revolution. 

She and her family nearly died of starvation after her father died in a mine explosion. Ever since, she’s been very frugal with food and with money. Gale used to be as frugal as she is, but ever since he fell in love with Leevy Johnstone, he’s been different. Katniss is tired of the same old argument. She needs to make up for her lost revenue since losing her best client. 

Her best client, Haymitch Abernathy was dead. Gone these past few months. He was a victor and a war hero, but no one paid him no mind because he kept people at a distance. Just like she tried to do. 

He paid Katniss extra coin for good game meat on a regular basis. She missed the old drunk codger. When he died not many people went to his funeral, only Katniss, Peeta Mellark, and the old Capitol Escort, Effie trinket attended. 

“Let’s just get this turkey in cold storage so we can go into town to trade the rest of our haul,” Katniss gripes, ignoring his plea.

After the oohs and aahs from her mother and sister over the turkey, and disappointment in their eyes from the news of Katniss’ plans for it, she and Gale head to town to finish their trades. 

After trading at the now legal hob, and other merchants in town, Katniss and Gale head to Mellark’s Bakery for their last stop of the day. Even though Seam folks are now welcome in the front of the bakery, trades are still conducted at the back door.

Katniss climbs the steps to knock on the door, while Gale stands at the bottom of the steps digging around in his game bag for his trade. She wishes she could have gone to the bakery on her own, but Gale said he needs to get something too. 

The youngest Mellark, Peeta answers the door. Peeta has been in charge of the bakery for four years now, after his two older brothers married girls who inherited their own family businesses. 

“Merry Christmas, Katniss,” Peeta greets with a warm smile. “Are you here to trade?”

Katniss is momentarily blinded by his warm easy smile. It always takes her a second to snap back into the moment. She really enjoys when they spend time chatting, but first there’s trading to do. She needs to stay focused. 

“Yes I am here to trade,” she says as she holds up a pair of fat squirrels. 

“You always get them through the eye,” Peeta says, rubbing the back of his neck.

“She sure does,” Gale agrees as he walks up the steps behind her.

Katniss clenches her jaw and levels Gale a shut up look. She needs a good sale. “I know how much you like squirrels, so I got an extra one for you, because I know tomorrow you’ll be closed. I wanted to make sure you have enough game meat to last you-" 

"One day,” Peeta says, smiling, his blue eyes sparkling.

Gale covers a laugh from behind her.

“A lot can happen in one day,” Katniss defends. “Besides, you could always bring a dish to one of your brothers’ homes. I’m sure they could use the extra game meat. How many nephews do you have now?”

“Two with one more on the way,” Peeta says brightly.

“See, I’m sure they could use the extra meat.”

“Okay, hold on; let me get the bread for you and some coin for the extra meat.”

“Perfect,” Katniss says, nodding.

When her trade is done, Gale steps up with a rabbit from his bag. “A small bag of cookies, please.” 

“Sure thing,” Peeta says, taking the rabbit into the kitchen.

After Peeta leaves, Katniss gives Gale an incredulous look.

“They’re a present for Posy,” Gale defends. “She’s really into the spirit of Christmas, especially the presents,” he says with a laugh.

After Peeta returns with the bag of cookies, Gale tucks them into his game bag.

Katniss and Gale turn to walk back down the steps, but Peeta speaks up before they get very far, “Hey, Katniss. Could I ask you something?”

Katniss looks back to Peeta, but he’s looking at Gale. 

The two men seem to come to some kind of silent agreement and Gale says, “I’m going to head over to the sweet shop for more presents for Posy. I’ll meet you out front, Catnip.”

Katniss is a bit stunned by their exchange, but shakes her head and walks back to Peeta. “What did you want to ask me?” she asks, hesitantly.

Peeta stammers for a minute, “Would you, ah,” he rubs the back of his neck again and looks down at his shoes before blurting out, “would you go out on a date with me?” He looks back up; his blue eyes plead for her answer as his cheeks turn red.

“Oh, I-I don’t date,” Katniss stammers out before running down the steps. She runs down the alley between the shops and almost collides with Gale, who could not have made it to the sweet shop and back already.

"You know you were cold toward Peeta,” Gale tells her.

“I was not.”

“Katniss, listen to me. that Merchant is decent folk and you treat him…”

“Like what?” Katniss asks, narrowing her eyes.

“Like that,” Gale points to her face. “You need to stop pushing people away. One day you’re going to find yourself all alone.” He walks away toward the sweet shop, shaking his head.

Katniss brushes what Gale has to say aside. Just because he forgot what life is like when you don’t have enough food to eat, she’ll never forget. She heads toward home without him.

“Come on, Katniss,” Prim begs from her seat at the dinner table. Her fingers tangled in the ribbon she’s trying to tie. “I need your help wrapping these gifts for the Hawthornes.” 

“Sorry Prim,” Katniss replies from her spot on the floor. “I need to finish the fletching for my arrows. It’s supposed to be unseasonably warm tomorrow, so I can’t miss a day of hunting when I don’t know if I’ll get another break this winter.”

Mrs. Everdeen sets the stew she’s been cooking to simmer and walks over to help Prim out, deftly tying the ribbon in a well-practiced bow.

“Thanks mom,” Prim says, before turning back to Katniss.

“But Katniss, tomorrow’s Christmas. You can’t spend the day hunting; you were out there all day today. What about presents?”

Katniss sets down her work and looks up at her sister. “Prim, You’re eighteen now. You know we don’t need presents, right? It’s just a made-up holiday the new Capitol thrust upon us to get people to spend money on frivolous gifts nobody needs anyway. We can celebrate the new year next week, like always.”

“That’s not true, Katniss. It’s not a made up holiday. We used to celebrate with daddy. Right mom?”

“That’s right, Prim,” their mother agrees with a nod.

“Well, that was a long time ago,” Katniss huffs. “Things have changed, if you haven’t noticed.

“So you’re not coming to the party at the Hawthornes tonight?” Mrs. Everdeen asks as she ties the ribbon on the last gift.

“Sorry, nope. I already told Gale I wasn’t coming. I’m going to get to bed as soon as I’m done here so I can head out at the break of dawn and spend all day in the woods,” Katniss explains.

Prim turns back to her mother. “Mom, make her come with us, please.”

“I can’t make her go,” Mrs. Everdeen says as she caresses Prim’s cheek. She heads back to her stew pot and begins to ladle several servings into a crock, leaving just enough in the pot for Katniss’ dinner. “Put the gifts in a sack, please. Katniss has a mind of her own, always has. If she doesn’t want to go, we can’t make her, but I think she’ll be missing out on some good fun.” Mrs. Everdeen looks over at Katniss with a pointed look. “If you change your mind, you can borrow one of my dresses.”

“Yeah, yeah, that’s not likely,” Katniss says. “Someone needs to make sure we have food to eat around here.” And with that, the conversation is over. 

Prim and Mrs. Everdeen head over to the Hawthorne’s home as the sun sets. Katniss cleans up her work, eats her stew, and heads off to bed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After refusing to spend time with her friends and family on Christmas Eve, Katniss is visited by an unexpected guest.

Katniss is startled awake by the sound of someone stumbling around in the kitchen. She looks across the room and sees Buttercup standing guard on the empty bed. Her mother and Prim are still at the party.

It’s not unusual for a patient to show up for her mother in the middle of the night, but they don’t usually just walk right in. Katniss slips out of bed without making a sound, signaling to Buttercup to keep quiet, but he jumps off the bed and runs down the hall. Katniss grabs the large stick she keeps under her bed in case a critter gets in. It should take care of any unwanted human as well.

She creeps out of the bedroom and avoids stepping on the creaky floorboard just past her mother’s bedroom. As she peeks around the doorframe into the kitchen she sees someone rifling through the kitchen cabinets.

As she tip-toes up to the trespasser, silent as a mouse, she raises her weapon above her head with both hands. If she’s going to strike, she’s going to make sure she does some damage. She takes in a deep breath and the intruder must hear because he straightens up and begins to turn around.

She hears the stranger say, “You don’t want to do that,” before she brings the club down with all her might. But it doesn’t make contact until it slams into the floor. The sting of the impact flows up her arms. She must have squeezed her eyes shut before swinging because she has to open them to see how she could have possibly missed at this short distance.

She looks up and sees the transparent, smiling face of Haymitch Abernathy, District 12’s recently deceased victor. “Nice to see you too, Sweetheart. Got anything to drink around here?”

Katniss stumbles back, dragging her club with her until the backs of her legs hit the armchair in the living room and she plops down. “H-h-how can you be here? You’re d-d-dead,” she sputters as she pulls her knees up to her chest and wraps her arms around the useless weapon.

“Yeah, I know,” he laments. “Thanks for coming to my funeral, by the way.”

“Of course, you were one of my best customers,” Katniss answers. “What am I saying? Is this some kind of Capitol trick? How are you here? Why are you here?”

“It’s no trick, Sweetheart,” Haymitch explains. “The dead who isolated themselves during their lifetime are forced to roam the earth alone. My penance is to warn others before it’s too late. You don’t want to end up like me.”

“I’m not alone,” Katniss squeaks. “I have my sister, and my mother… I have friends.”

“Sure Katniss. You have them now, but you keep pushing them away. In time, your sister will marry and move away, and your mother will die. Then what will you have?”

Katniss opens her mouth to answer, but Haymitch raises his transparent hand to stop her. 

“Don’t bother with the excuses, Sweetheart. I know them all. This is my warning to you. You will be visited by three more spirits tonight. Heed my warning, Katniss. Change your life before it’s too late.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Haymitch's warning, Katniss receives a visit from the first spirit.

Katniss wakes up in the armchair with a crick in her neck. She makes her way back to her room and tucks the club back under her bed. “I had the craziest dream,” she tells Buttercup, who swishes his tail at her from the other bed.

Katniss quickly falls back to sleep, but too soon someone shakes her shoulder, and a soft voice whispers in her ear, “Time to get up, Catkin.” 

She knows that voice. Katniss’ eyes fly open and she looks into the grey eyes of her father.

“Time to get up, Catkin,” he repeats.

“Daddy, is that really you?” Katniss asks as she sits up in bed. She hasn’t seen her father since he tucked her into bed eleven years ago, on the night before the mining explosion that ripped him from her life.

“I’m real, baby. I’m the Spirit of Christmas Past. I’m here to show you what you’ve forgotten. Come on.” 

Katniss slips out of bed and takes his hand as he leads her out the door. Before Katniss can even register that she doesn’t feel the wind or the cold, they are flying through the air.

Before too long, they land and it looks as though they never left District 12. As they approach their old home, her father leads her to the window instead of the door. “Go ahead, look inside, Catkin,” he says with a smile.

When she looks inside she sees a memory so dear it brings tears to her eyes. Her father is sitting on the couch with her pregnant mother on his lap watching a much younger Katniss opening presents. She unwraps a tiny baby doll that her father made by hand, dressed in clothes made by her mother.

“I loved that doll,” Katniss whispers.

“I know you did, baby,” her father replies. “You carried her around like your own little baby after Prim was born. You were a right little mama.”

“I remember,” Katniss sighs. “I had to sell her after you were gone. We needed money to pay for food.”

“Yeah, I know. I’m sorry I had to leave you, Catkin. You have to know I didn’t want to.”

“I know, daddy. Can we go somewhere else now?” Katniss asks, wiping her eyes.

“Sure, darling. Turn around.” 

When she does, it’s not her old neighbor’s house she sees, but an alley from town. She sees herself at around 7 years old, walking hand in hand with her father up the back steps of Mellark’s Bakery. 

While her dad barters with the baker, Katniss sees her younger self waving at someone inside. Katniss maneuvers herself to get a better look and sees 7-year-old Peeta Mellark peeking around the corner, waving back. Katniss smiles at the interaction, wondering how she could have so easily forgotten it.

Her father’s spirit leans down and whispers in her ear, “He’s such a nice young man.” 

Katniss nods her head in agreement. When she looks up to tell her father that she agrees, he motions for her to keep watching. “This isn’t Christmas, but it’s important.”

Katniss’ eyes go wide as she looks back to find the scene has changed to a night she will never forget. 

It’s the cold rainy April night just a few weeks shy of her twelfth birthday. She sees her younger self stumble up the alley looking in the trash cans. The desperation is clearly written on her face. Young Katniss stops behind the bakery and stares up at the open kitchen door; drawn by the warmth and scent of bread baking inside. She shakes her head and lifts the lid of the waste bin, disheartened to find it empty like all the others.

A screeching voice calls out, startling both past and present Katniss alike. The baker’s wife is calling young Katniss a brat and threatening to call the Peacekeepers on her if she doesn’t move along. Young Katniss carefully replaces the can lid and backs away behind the pig pen before collapsing against the apple tree on the far side of the yard.

Katniss remembers how horrible she felt at that moment, worried she and Prim would be sent to the community home and thinking it might be better if she just died right there in the rain. What comes next has fueled Katniss’ guilt for the past eleven years.

From where she’s standing, she can see the commotion coming from inside the bakery she only heard when she was eleven. Katniss tries to run into the bakery to prevent it from happening again, but her father pulls her back. “They can’t hear us. This is a memory, you can’t change it.”

Katniss can only stand by and watch as the baker’s wife screams at the eleven-year-old Peeta as he fishes two loaves of burned bread out from the fire. She slaps him hard across the face with a wooden spoon and screams at him to feed the burned bread to the pigs. 

Young Peeta stumbles down the steps and begins to tear off the burned parts of the bread and toss the pieces into the trough for the pigs. After checking to see that his mother has gone back inside the bakery, Peeta tosses the bread at young Katniss’ feet and turns to go back inside the bakery.

Katniss smiles as she watches her younger self grab the loaves of bread and clutch them to her chest as she runs home. Her smile fades as she sees Peeta standing just inside the bakery door, watching her younger self run away.

Katniss looks back at her dad, who gives her a rueful smile. “Keep watching, Katniss.” She looks back and sees herself going to the bakery later that spring to trade her first squirrel with the baker.

Katniss’ father snaps his fingers and the scene changes again. It’s Christmas Eve the year Katniss turned 18 years old; Peeta is the one opening the door for the trade. He explains that he has taken over the trading because his older brother had just announced his engagement to the grocer’s daughter, meaning Peeta would be taking over the bakery one day. Katniss smiles and quietly congratulates him before commencing with the trade.

With a final snap of his fingers, the scene changes to earlier in the day, long before Haymitch so rudely interfered with Katniss’ sleep. The trading was the same as before, Katniss and Gale each making their trades, Gale leaving, then Peeta suddenly asked her out on a date.

Katniss was so startled she froze and told him no before running down the step and running into Gale out front.

Katniss is so embarrassed by her behavior earlier in the day she hesitates to look up to see Peeta’s reaction, since she didn’t see it the first time. 

Peeta’s shoulders are slumped as he watches Katniss run away. He slowly turns to walk back into the bakery, kicking the toe of his work boot against the door frame and muttering, “Stupid” under his breath as he closes the door behind him.

Katniss feels bad for running away, but it’s best to end it before anything could begin because Peeta deserves so much better than her. He deserves a lovely merchant wife who will give him a lovely merchant family, not a scowly Seam brat who doesn’t want to risk ending up in a dark world of sadness, like her mother did after losing her spouse.

Katniss feels a hand on her shoulder and slowly looks up to see her father’s reaction. He looks at her with a sad expression. “Don’t be afraid to love, Catkin,” he says, as if reading her mind. “Your fear of the past is keeping you from living your life to the fullest. You have such a big heart. Don’t be afraid to share it.” 

Katniss takes in a deep breath and closes her eyes. When she opens them her father is gone. 

She blinks and she’s back home again, sitting up, alone in her bed. Buttercup, once again, keeping watch on the other bed.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katniss is visited by the Spirit of Christmas Present.

As soon as Katniss lies down and closes her eyes, her bedroom door bursts open and Posy Hawthorne runs in and jumps on her bed.

“Posy, what are you doing here? Did you come here all by yourself?” Katniss asks with a trembling voice.

“Don’t worry, Katniss,” Posy says as she hops up and down on the bed. “I’m not really Posy Hawthorne. I’m the Spirit of Christmas Present in Posy’s form to show you what you are missing out on.”

Katniss is stunned speechless.

Posy jumps down off the bed and holds out her hand. “Come on Katniss, we have to go.”

“Where,” Katniss asks as she reluctantly takes her hand and slips out of bed.

“You’ll see,” Posy says with a giggle.

Just as Katniss’ father had, Posy takes flight as soon as they cross the threshold to outside. Posy takes Katniss into town to look into the windows of the apartments above the different businesses. Every one of them seem to have a celebration going on. People singing around a Christmas tree, sharing food, just enjoying themselves.

After a while, they arrive at the apartment above the bakery. Just like in the other merchant homes, a family get-together is underway. Katniss sees the Mellark men gathered around the living room. Peeta’s older brothers’ wives are sitting by their sides. The oldest brother has two small boys at his feet. His other brother is resting his hand on his wife’s very pregnant belly.

One of the small boys jumps up and runs over to his uncle Peeta who picks him up and places the boy on his knee. Peeta truly seems to enjoy spending time with his nephews. Katniss imagines he would make a wonderful father.

“Where’s your wife, Uncle Peeta?” the boy asks.

Before Peeta can answer, his mother walks in with a tray of food. “Your uncle doesn’t have a wife,” she starts, as she places the tray down on the coffee table, “because he’s been wasting his time chatting up that Seam brat he’s been mooning over forever. At least she has enough sense to know her place. Now that she’s turned you down, maybe you’ll start looking for a more appropriate woman to settle down with.”

Katniss' face flushes as she is struck by a fit of anger, but she doesn’t understand why. Isn’t that what she told herself just this morning when she ran away from Peeta, that he would be better off finding a merchant woman to be his wife? Why does the thought of Peeta with someone else make her stomach tie up in knots?

“Can we leave now, Posy?” Katniss asks.

“Sure thing, Katniss,” Posy says with a giggle as she takes Katniss’ hand. They fly across the district until they touch down lightly in the Seam. Just as in the merchant quarter, she can see there are celebrations in all the homes in the Seam. Eventually they arrive at the Hawthorne home.

Katniss and Posy walk up to the window and look inside where Prim, her mother, and Hazelle Hawthorne are dancing while the younger kids are playing games. Gale’s arm is wrapped around his girlfriend Leevy Johnstone as she sits on his lap. “He wanted you to be there when he announced that they were getting married,” Posy whispers.

Katniss’ eyes widen in surprise as she turns to Posy. She knew Gale had a keeper when Leevy wasn’t threatened by Gale going out into the forest to hunt with her once a week. She didn’t realize how much it would mean to him for her to share in his happiness. “I’ll see him next week,” Katniss replies, still watching the scene inside. “I’ll let him know that I’m happy for him then.”

“Don’t shut us out, Katniss,” Posy pleads. “There are so many of us that love you and want to be a part of your life. Don’t be afraid to let yourself love us back.”

Katniss is shaken; she closes her eyes. “Of course, I love you guys. You have to know that, right?” She wonders if they know that’s why she spends all her time hunting, making sure they all have food to eat. She takes a deep breath and opens her eyes. 

She looks back inside to see Posy run up to Gale and Leevy and give them both a big hug. Katniss smiles.

“It looks like you’re quite fond of your future sister-in-law, Posy,” Katniss says as she looks down at her little friend, but Posy’s not there. Katniss looks around and realizes this ghostly visit is over. She closes her eyes, knowing she’s going to end up back in her bed again.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katniss is visited by the Spirit of Christmas Yet to Come.

When Katniss opens her eyes, she’s startled to find she’s not in her bed, but standing to the side of her mother’s dressing mirror. Curious, she walks in front of the mirror, and gasps when she looks inside. Instead of her own reflection she finds a dark hooded figure.

“You’re the Spirit of Christmas Yet to Come, aren’t you?” Katniss asks, but the hooded figure makes no sound, instead a skeletal hand reaches out from under the cloak and points toward the door.

Katniss looks toward the door and finds the hooded figure standing there, motioning for her to follow. She looks back into the mirror to see her own startled reflection staring back at her. While Katniss was happy to see her father and Posy, she’s not sure she wants to follow this spirit.

Katniss grabs onto the cuff of the ghost’s cloak, instead of taking the offered bony hand and they take flight as soon as they leave her home.

Just as her father and Posy before, this spirit takes Katniss to look inside the bakery windows. Katniss has to do a double take when she sees a much older Peeta Mellark working in the bakery kitchen. He’s still just as handsome, she thinks, even though his hair has gone a bit gray and shoulders seemed to be slumped. Two teen boys work next to him. 

Katniss feels a pain in her stomach at the sight, but she tells herself she’s happy to see that Peeta got the family he deserves. Although, she wonders why they are so quiet while they work. Peeta doesn’t seem to stop talking when they have their chats after trading. She figured he’d be the same at home. 

Suddenly, a woman with a tight bun and a pinched expression on her face bursts into the kitchen and starts berating Peeta about how long he’s taking to make the bread.

“Oh no,” Katniss thinks. “Peeta is married to a shrew just like his mother. He must be miserable. Why did he marry her?” Katniss looks to the hooded figure, but there’s no response, only a bony hand pointing back toward the bakery.

When Katniss looks back, they are no longer at the bakery, but at the Hawthorne home. She looks inside the window, but nobody is there. “Why have you brought me here?” Katniss asks. “There’s nobody home. Where is everyone?”

Once again, the hooded figure doesn’t speak, just points back to the scene in front of them. When she looks back, they are at the graveyard at the edge of the district. Prim and Rory, each holding a bouquet of flowers, are standing in front of a grave. 

Katniss looks at the headstone and sees her mother’s name there. “My mother died, but where is everyone else?”

As if to answer Katniss’ question, Rory says to Prim, “Sorry the rest of my family couldn’t make it. Since they all moved to District 2 with Gale, it’s hard to find time to come back here.”

“I understand. It’s not like she made time for any of us,” Prim says as she places flowers on her mother’s grave. 

“What are they talking about?” Katniss asks the hooded figure. “My mother spent a lot of time with the Hawthorne’s.” 

Just as before, the hooded figure just points at the scene in front of them. 

“What? What is it you want me to look at? My mother is dead. I know that, but where am I? Why am I not here for her funeral?” Katniss pleads before looking back at the scene. 

When she looks back, Prim takes the bouquet that Rory holds out to her and places it on the freshly dug grave next to her mother's.

Katniss’ steps are stiff as she walks up closer to see the headstone next to her mother’s. Feelings of dread chill her to the bone as she realizes what the ghost was trying to tell her. 

There, carved into the stone is her own name. Barely anyone showed up to mourn her, just like Haymitch had warned her. 

Katniss rushes back to the ghost standing at the end of her grave. “Tell me spirit, are these the shadows of what will be or what may be?” Katniss pleads. 

Katniss looks up at the hooded ghost, where the face should be, trying to see any reaction to her pleas, but there’s nothing there, just darkness. 

She turns back to look at her grave. “Is this really how everything ends? Please let me have another chance; I’ll change. I’ll make sure everyone knows how much they mean to me.”

Katniss feels two bony hands push on her back and she starts to fall forward. The grave that was previously filled with fresh dirt is now empty as she falls down into it. Katniss screams as she continues to fall. 

The darkness engulfs her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One chapter to go.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Did Katniss learn anything from the visit from the three spirits? Does the future play out as foretold? Read on to find out.

Katniss startles awake. 

She’s alive, panting and sweaty, but alive. 

After letting out a deep breath, she sits up and looks around. 

She’s in her own bed. Buttercup is still standing guard on Prim’s empty bed. 

Her mother and Prim are not back yet. 

With all that has happened, with all that she’s seen, surely it should be morning by now, but the clock on her nightstand shows it has only been an hour since she went to bed. 

“I still have time,” she tells Buttercup as she throws back the covers and jumps out of bed. “Mom and Prim will be at the Hawthorne’s for hours still.” 

Katniss untwists her braid, brushing her hair to smooth it down, then takes a quick shower. She runs to her mother’s closet and picks out the most festive green dress to put on. She then rebraids her hair in a fancier style that Prim usually wears. 

She gathers up a few items from her stores for gifts for the Hawthornes. Simple things really: soothing balm for Hazelle’s hands, hair ribbons for Posy and Leevy, a leather pouch for Gale, a piece of whittling wood for Rory, and a small stack of paper for Vic to write his stories. No time to wrap them, so she puts them in her bag.

She pulls on her boots and coat and heads outside. The cold on her cheeks is a welcome change from no feeling at all when she was with the spirits. Another sign she’s truly alive. 

Katniss rushes to the Hawthorne’s home and knocks on the door. The festive music inside plays as she bounces on the balls of her feet, waiting for someone to answer.

A smiling, out of breath Gale answers the door. 

His smile drops when he sees her. He steps out onto the stoop and pulls the door behind him, blocking her from seeing inside. “Hey Catnip. What are you doing here?” he asks.

“Can I come in,” she asks tentatively. Gale crosses his arms and stares at her, so she continues, “I know I've had my priorities mixed up. I’ve been so afraid of the past and worried about the future, that I’ve neglected the present and everyone I care about. I’d like to celebrate Christmas with all of you, if you’ll still have me.”

“No lectures about frivolous spending, or wasting food?”

“No! I’m even going to roast up that turkey tomorrow and have you all over for Christmas dinner. That is if you’ll forgive me.” She tries to sound as contrite as she feels. Never again will she prioritize food or money over her loved ones.

Gale nods his head and turns back to the door, opening it wide. He steps inside and calls out, “Hey everyone, look who I found outside,” and motions for her to go in.

A chorus of “Katniss!” greets her as she walks through the door.

She takes off her coat, and repeats what she told Gale about her mixed up priorities and asks for everyone’s forgiveness. Luckily, they happily give it to her.

After handing out her gifts, Katniss raises a toast to the newly engaged couple.

“How did you know about our engagement?” Gale asks, surprised.

“Let’s just say a little spirit told me,” Katniss answers with a smile.

The party continues with singing, and dancing, and laughter, but eventually, it’s time for the Everdeen women to go home. 

As they are getting ready to leave, Gale pulls Katniss aside. “I’m glad you changed your mind about Christmas. Have you changed your mind about that other thing, too?”

Katniss looks down at her feet and nods, heat blooming on her cheeks as she thinks about Peeta. “Hopefully it’s not too late.”

“I doubt it is,” Gale says with a smile. “Tell me how it goes when we come over for dinner tomorrow.”

“I will,” Katniss agrees before leaving with her mother and sister.

“What’s that other thing Gale asked you about?” Prim asks as they are walking back home.

“I’ll tell you about it tomorrow,” Katniss replies. 

“I’m just glad you changed your mind and joined us,” their mother says, as she wraps her arm around Katniss’ shoulder, giving her a hug while balancing her stew crock on her other hip.

The next morning, Katniss wakes up early, and hurriedly gets dressed. She practically vibrates with nervous anticipation as she struggles to put her arms through her sleeves. She throws on her coat before rushing out the door. 

She all but runs to the bakery, being careful not to slip on the icy ground. She doesn’t even know if Peeta will be in the bakery today, but she has to try, hoping he will talk to her.   
When she walks up the steps to the back of the bakery, she can see Peeta and his father working on pies, apparently for their own Christmas dinner. 

Katniss knocks, but is disappointed when Mr. Mellark answers the door. 

“Good morning, Katniss,” he says, slowly. “I’m surprised to see you today. We don’t have anything to trade this morning. We’re closed for the holiday.”

“Oh, uh, that’s okay. I’m not here to trade,” Katniss replies. “Could I please talk to Peeta?”

Mr. Mellark stares at her a moment, expressionless. She doesn’t know if he is pleased or angered by her request. After what feels like forever he says, “Wait here,” before closing the door.

Katniss’ breath comes out in small puffy clouds as she stamps her feet up and down and rubs her hands together to stave off the cold. As she waits, Katniss thinks back to the lessons she learned from the spirits last night. She now knows to live a full life means taking risks, and this risk, telling her boy with the bread that he holds her heart feels like the most important thing she could ever do. 

A few minutes later, the door opens again. 

“You wanted to talk to me,” Peeta says, hesitantly. His easy smile is replaced with a wariness that Katniss knows she put there. 

She’s reminded of the future she saw for him with that shrew of a wife. She can’t let that happen to him. Even if he doesn’t want her anymore, she needs him to understand that he deserves to be happy. He deserves someone who loves and appreciates him. She just hopes he can forgive her and give her a chance.

“I’m sorry,” she starts. 

“Don’t worry about it, Katniss,” Peeta tells her, “I should have known you wouldn’t be interested in me.”

“No!” Katniss interrupts, reaching out to grab his arm so he doesn’t leave, but she pulls them back and jams them into her coat pockets. 

“No?”

“No, I am interested in you.” 

Peeta’s eyes widen and his lips part as if he can’t believe what he is hearing, but Katniss keeps going before she loses her nerve. “When you asked me, I was scared. Scared of letting people into my life, but somehow you already worked your way into my heart. I can’t keep pretending you don’t make me feel things I didn’t know I could feel. So, if you don’t mind, I’d like to change my answer and say yes to that date. That is if you still want to go out with me.” 

“Always,” he answers. 

Katniss is distracted by how his face changes completely; his smile is blinding. She has to remember to stay in the moment and not get lost in his sparkling eyes.

“Yeah?” Katniss asks with a big smile.

“Yeah,” Peeta replies with a laugh. “Would you like to come in and warm up?”

“I would love to,” she says, “But I have to go home and roast a turkey, but I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”

“Okay,” Peeta agrees. “We’ll talk about our date then.”

“Okay,” Katniss repeats. She stands up on her tip toes and kisses Peeta on the cheek, before running all the way back home, the smile never leaving her face.

It started with one date, and then another, and eventually a kiss, one filled with so much passion and promise it made the future seem brighter. 

A year later, life has changed so much, more than Katniss could have ever expected. Her life has become so much richer, although worry does enter her heart at times, she does not let it rule her as it did before. She keeps the joy of Christmas throughout the year.

The night of the spirits has faded to a distant memory, important lessons to live her life by. Katniss hopes her change of heart helps Haymitch complete his penance and move on.

Gale and Leevy, now married for several months, are expecting their first baby. Gale continues to be Katniss’ hunting partner and friend. They asked Katniss to be the godparent to their child. 

Katniss began working at the bakery to help Peeta since his parents retired and moved out, leaving Peeta completely in charge.

At midnight on Christmas Eve, Peeta asks Katniss to marry him, and she doesn’t hesitate to say yes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading my little take on a Christmas Carol set in the Hunger Games universe.

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was originally posted on tumblr.


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